FIONA FRASER, 33, from Eaglesham, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer two days before Christmas but kept the news to herself so her family could enjoy the big day.

CRADLING her newborn son in her arms, Fiona Fraser could not have been happier.

But, just a few months later, her world came tumbling down when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Fiona was told the devastating news just two days before Christmas but kept the diagnosis to herself so her family could enjoy the big day.

She finally broke the heartbreaking news to her husband James, 40.

Then she underwent gruelling treatment, which left her so radioactive she wasn’t allowed to cuddle her children.

Despite having support from her family and friends, the mum-of-two admits to feeling incredibly lonely and low while coping with cancer.

Research by Macmillan Cancer Support has revealed that almost a third of Scots living with cancer suffer from loneliness.

It can leave patients housebound, unable to feed themselves properly and more likely to turn to alcohol.

The survey found more Scottish patients with cancer feel isolated than those in the rest of the UK – 31 per cent compared with 16 per cent in Wales and 21 per in England.

Fiona, 33, from Eaglesham, near Glasgow, said: “I felt very lonely when I had cancer.

“No one really knew what I was going through. I was really isolated during that time.

“It’s only now looking back that I can see how small my world had become.

“I had my husband and family but I didn’t want to tell them how I was feeling, as I didn’t want to worry them.

“People would ask how I was and I’d say I was fine.” Fiona, who was diagnosed just before Christmas two years ago, said: “I was a healthy young woman who had just had a baby and cancer never crossed my mind.

“We were so happy after having our second child.

“The worst part was thinking that my children could be left without a mum.” Fiona, mum to Jessica, four, and two-year-old Finlay, became ill after discovering a lump on her throat.

A biopsy confirmed thyroid cancer but Fiona was dealt a further blow when she was told it had spread to her lymph nodes. She said: “At first I wasn’t worried about the lump but thought I should get it checked out.

“My doctor referred me to hospital for a biopsy but I tried not to worry about the results. I convinced myself everything was fine. When I was told it was cancerous it was a total shock.

“I was unprepared and had gone to the appointment myself because I was so sure that it was nothing.”

Fiona, who trains guide dogs for the blind, endured surgery to remove her thyroid and lymph nodes before starting radioiodine therapy, which left her so radioactive she could not go near her children.

She explained: “Not being able to see my kids was the hardest part.

“Because they were so young, they were at risk of contamination and I had to stay away for three weeks.

“It was especially hard, as I was breastfeeding Finlay and had to stop right away.

“I knew I had to get better to be there for them but not being able to cuddle or see them left me feeling so low.”

Once Fiona got out of hospital, coping with two young children and the side effects of the treatment left her exhausted.

“I was so tired that I didn’t really want to talk to anyone.

“I had lots of people who wanted to be there for me but they were frustrated because I wasn’t being myself.”

It was then that she discovered Macmillan Cancer Support online forum, which has become a lifeline for Fiona.

Now she uses it to support others who are dealing with the condition.

She explained: “I found another young mum with the same rare cancer who lived just a mile away.

“We’ve never met face to face but we’re planning to.

“It had made a massive difference to how I was feeling and gave me the support and courage to beat cancer.”

Recently Published

Second year pupils Jonathan Wills, Alistair Marriott, Josh Kumar, Ewan Robinson and Taylor Ballantyne, who are all aged 13, will shave their heads in a collective show of support for the millions of people affected by cancer across the UK just like classmates Paul Spencer and Kyle Caig did this week